The present invention relates to fastener devices and, more particularly, to an attachment clip for securing an automotive interior trim component within the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle.
In general, most automotive interior trim components, such as door panels and roof liners, are semi-structural components fabricated from a rigid core material laminated with a decorative "skin" material. One type of core material widely used for automotive trim components is an open-cellular polyether or polyurethane composite foam material impregnated with a prepolymer for improving structural rigidity and compressive strength. As noted, an exterior surface of the composite foam material is laminated with a decorative "skin" material for providing a color-coordinated and aesthetically pleasing surface. Conventional decorative "skin" material used in most automotive trim applications include woven fabrics, trico, vinyl, leather, and the like.
Open-cellular composite foam is a preferred material of choice for automotive interior trim applications because of its superior compressive rigidity, impact absorption and thermal and acoustical isolation properties. Unfortunately, a major drawback associated with use of composite foam materials is their low tensile strength. As such, objects anchored to foam composite materials are easily `pulled-out` upon a tensile force being exerted thereon. This poor "pull-out" characteristic severely limits the type of fastener devices which are suitable for anchoring semi-structural automotive trim component fabricated from composite foam material to a rigid mounting structure (i.e., the roof panel).